Volunteers to be honored by Oregon State University

February 16, 2016

CORVALLIS, Ore. - An awards gala on March 4 in Huntington Beach, California, will honor four Oregon State University volunteer leaders for outstanding service to the university, as part of the annual Destination OSU event.

"Our 2016 honorees are wonderful examples of 'above and beyond' support for Oregon State University," said OSU president Edward J. Ray. "Oregon State is on the rise with an impact that is growing every year, precisely because of incredible friends like Connie, Hal, Sue and Gerald."

Kearney, of Vancouver, Washington, will receive the OSU Foundation's highest honor - the Lifetime Trustee Award. Among other volunteer leadership roles at OSU, she served on the foundation's Board of Trustees from 2005 to 2011 and currently is the board treasurer for the Oregon 4-H Foundation.

Part of the class of 1965, Kearney started her studies at Oregon State on her way to a career in law. She and her husband, Lee, are among the university's most generous philanthropic leaders, with gifts supporting faculty, OSU-Cascades, athletics, 4-H, and renovation of the home of civil and construction engineering, renamed Kearney Hall in their honor.

The OSU Alumni Association will present the Dan Poling Service Award to Pritchett, an OSU professor emeritus who was instrumental in founding the university's construction engineering management program. Since his retirement in 2002, the Corvallis resident has continued to be active with the Construction Education Foundation and has guided countless careers by connecting students with industry. The award is named for an influential dean of men who served the university for more than five decades.

Sue and Gerald E. Vickers will receive the Martin Chaves Lifetime Achievement Award from OSU Athletics. In addition to creating an endowment that provides unrestricted support to the athletic department, the couple has supported key facility initiatives including Reser Stadium, Truax Indoor Center, Gill Coliseum, OSU Basketball Center, and Goss Stadium. Gerald Vickers is owner and chairman of Emerald Forest Products, a Eugene-based plywood and veneer manufacturer. Chaves was captain of Oregon State's 1942 Rose Bowl team who later became an influential booster in various fundraising activities.

The Friday evening awards gala in Huntington Beach is one part of Destination OSU, three days of activities for Oregon State alumni, friends, and the general public on March 3-5. Visit the OSU Foundation web site for more information about the events and how to register.

The events include a Thursday evening screening in Corona del Mar of "The Legend of the Giant Killers"; a documentary about OSU's famed 1967 football team; and a reception in Los Angeles with new Director of Athletics Todd Stansbury, and NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton, prior to OSU taking on UCLA at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday.

Presented by the OSU Foundation, OSU Alumni Association, and OSU Athletics, this is the first time Destination OSU has been held in the Los Angeles area. California is home to more than 17,000 Oregon State University graduates, the largest concentration of alumni beyond Oregon and Washington.

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